The Nightly Grind

Have you ever walked in to check on your sleeping little one and wondered what that noise is? As you get closer, you realize it isn’t snoring, but teeth grinding—also known as bruxism.

“While an estimated three out of every 10 children will grind or clench their teeth at night, most of them will outgrow it by age 6 when the first permanent molars erupt,” says Dan Stoeckel, DDS, a pediatric dentist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “I don’t generally worry unless it occurs after the permanent molars have come in.”

Signs of bruxism include:

• grinding noises while sleeping
• areas of wear on the teeth
• soreness in the jaw or face

It is unclear what causes bruxism in young children. Adolescents and adults may grind as a reaction to stress. If bruxism continues long term, it can cause the teeth to wear down or result in jaw pain.

“If the grinding continues, we sometimes have children try a mouthguard like the ones used in sports to protect the teeth,” Dr. Stoeckel says. “If they tolerate it, we can create a hard acrylic mouthguard for long-term use.”